Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Greyhound Safety

Before I started fostering with NLGA, the idea of a loose/lost pet was never on my mind because both my weimaraners are trained to stay near or have good recall. But greyhounds are never to be trusted off leash. So with the addition of a greyhound foster, I have stepped up security.

I've always made sure the gate is closed. The type we have can only be opened from the inside. This has made me feel safe since most people are not tall enough or can't figure out how to open it. A few weeks ago a city worker came by to install a new water meter without any prior notice. I had let the dogs out from the basement and then heard the doorbell ring. At the same time, Debbie ran around the house to the front door(part of her zooming routine). I totally freaked out and raced to the top worried that the gate was left open by the city worker. Thankfully he had latched the gate closed, but this gave me a wake up call. I have now put in not one, but two carabiners into the gate latch to keep it closed for good:

With all the foster greyhounds I use an additional attachment connected to the collar and leash just in case the snap ever fails on a walk:I also make it a habit to check that the martingale collars are on tight enough and have no tears.

A greyhound should have ID on at all times in case they ever get loose. I've ordered a collar ID for the fosters through Dave Engraves because I don't like jingling tags, and martingales are only used for walks due to the risk of choking. I've put NLGA's number and my cell on there. I also ordered the same ones for the weims.

I hope this reminds you to check and double check everything because it only takes one mistake and your beloved pet or foster is lost, hurt or worse.

2 comments:

We've got Boomerang Tags on our guys -- they are engraved stainless steel that attach directly to the collar with tabs that are almost impossible to remove. The whole-collar tag is a cool idea too. Anyway we're not worried about our guys losing their tags, just that someone might decide they are so cute they're not going to give them back, which is why all the tags end in "My Mommy Misses Me". Never underestimate the power of guilt. ;-)

This is a very timely post. I am going to have to get a new gate in my backyard because my little guy has figured out how to get out. I've stuffed some cardboard in the gap, but that's a temporary solution at best.

The collar ID is a great idea. (I guess that should be "greyt idea." :)